was thinking maybe Jack Bonus on sax, as he was around the scene back then...
Loved shows at that venue out on the great hiway... you walked through the old amusement park to get to the hall... the stage(s) was only a couple feet off the floor, so you were right up there... also had the coolest "snack bar" ever! it was out the back, part open air, and all foods and bev were organic; juices, cookies, brownies, etc. and there was a "black light" waterfall. remember one time we were there (a Sons show) the fog rolled in, and it was misting back there... trippy!
RIP Chet Helms

RIP David, who passed away two days ago.

Excerpt from "The Illustrated Trip" book
Saturday 8/2 & Sunday 8/3
"Both shows with Ballet Afro-Haiti and blues great Albert Collins, "the Master of the Telecaster." Saturday sees the first performance of "Seasons." Having been forced to shut down the Avalon Ballroom, Chet Helms has managed to resurrect the Family Dog at this San Francisco venue, named the Great Highway for its location on the beach."
Nice upbeat Pigpen action, cool sax riding shotgun for the Dark Star ride.

Round of applause for Charlie Miller and all the tapers, you are all kick ass in my book!!!! I truly appreciate the time spent cleaning up these relics. Keep on Truckin'!!!!

This is a great show and a really fun listen. My first thought for violinist was PJC also. I quickly dismissed him, I don't think he was involved in this scene until much later. I am thinking it sounds like members of "The Flock"???
Anyway, great site. Thanks to all who have provided this and all of the other great shows for us. Nice to see some names from the LTBV community.

So I was convinced that this featured Papa John creech throughout the entire show and an unknown saxophone player. However when I asked Charlie Miller about this show he said to me that he's the one who posted the show up here and that "My friend found the half track master reel on eBay so we sent it to Rob Eaton who transferred it for me. Such amazing clarity." He also said that they tried to figure out who the musicians are he said it's definitely not Papa John creech but he wasn't able to find out who they are. One of my friends suggested that the horn player Charles Lloyd.. If anybody knows please chime in here. Regardless of who the musicians are the show starts off a little bit rough but terrific from the beginning in my view. The real magic starts with dark star and continues throughout the rest of the set. The dark star is just amazing if you are into some jazz it's breathtaking. This continues through the incredible version of the other one and the alligator just all wonderful stuff very different. I promise you that you haven't heard this before and it's different from anything else you've heard. Don't be distracted by the first couple of songs that are rough this is an absolute gem and it should be released.

I'm sticking with the idea that that's Papa John creech it's very hard to go against something that Charlie Miller says cuz he really has listened to everything that it just sounds too much like Papa John to me.. meanwhile Charlie said that he turned over a copy of the show to the dead after finishing cleaning it up maybe one day it'll be a release it really should be.

Special and unique. Maybe the best guest musicians gelled with the primal dead?!?! A classic! This particular tape is so clear and immersive its 100% still worth a listen, even if you've heard this tape a 100 times. Thanks as always to Charlie Miller and Rob Eaton for their immense efforts preserving and circulating these deeply significant historic documents!